85,000 people affected in Orissa floods

Berhampur: About 85,000 people in three south-western districts of Orissa have been affected by flash floods as rivers submerged vast areas following heavy rains, state Revenue and Disaster Management minister SN Patro said here on Monday.

In 151 villages of the affected blocks, relief camps have been set up and food served to the affected people through community kitchen, Patro told reporters after a visit
to the flood-hit districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Koraput.

Patra, who was accompanied by Information Technology Minister Ramesh Majhi and Labour minister Puspendra Singhdeo yesterday, said he had asked the district administration to assess the damage as quick as possible he said.

The affected people would be compensated as per the provisions of the state relief code, he assured.

Patra said while 40,000 people of 71 villages in 17 gram panchayats of six blocks were affected in Kalahandi distrct, about 29,000 people of 60 villages in 22 of five
blocks were hit in Nabarangapur district.

Similarly, around 15,000 people in 20 villages of Kotapada block in Koraput district were affected.

As many as 12 relief camps were set up in Kalahandi district and 2298 people were provided food through community kitchen in Kalahandi.

Seven community kitchens were set up in Nabarangapur district and in Korapurt district 13 free community kitchen centers were opened to feed the affected persons and medical
teams were camping in the affected villages, Patro said.

Praising the work done by the ODRAF team to rescue the marooned people, he said, they had rescued at least 250 students of a residential school at Kerandimal.

They were rescued by the team after marooned for about 18 hours by swirling flood water. Similarly, 31 persons, who had taken shelter on a tree in Nabarangapur district, were rescued in two phases.

Four persons, who had taken shelter on another tree in Malakanagiri districts Mathili block, were airlifted by a helicopter of Indian Navy on Saturday, the minister said.

Under the impact of a low pressure, heavy rains lashed Nabarangapur district recording 241.2 mm and 121.3 mm rainfall on August 5 and 6 respectively.

Similarly, Kalahandi district recorded 119.6 mm and 124.6 mm rainfall during the period respectively.